HALIFAX, Aug. 25 - (C.P.) - Headquarters of the Eastern Air Command announced here today that
four men - two Britons and two Canadians - were killed early today in the crash of a training aircraft near Liverpool, N.S.
The dead were listed as:
Flt. Lt. W.F.L. Smallman, R.A.F., the pilot
Sgt. S. Street, of England.
Sgt. Observer G.T.S. Woodham, Huronville, Sask.
AC G.J. Elliott, Calgary, the wireless operator.
Five Jump To Safety
At the same time the R.C.A.F. announced that five other airmen parachuted to safety early today before
another plane, of similar type, crashed in the same vicinity.
Names of these men were given as:
Flying Officer J. Barneson, San Francisco.
Sgt. J.H. McKay, Montreal.
Sgt. D.J. Robertson, Cornwall, Ont.
Sgt. J. Martin, Forestburg, Alta.
AC1 D.B. Douglas, Belleville, Ont.
The official statement did not link the two crashes but reports from Liverpool said the four men were killed instantly when their plane
plunged into an orchard at Beech Hill, six miles away, while searching for the craft from which the five parachuted.
Some May Be Injured
The statement contained little but the names, and officials said a further announcement might be made
later in the day. They said they were not sure about the extent of injuries any of the parachutists may have suffered.
At Liverpool, it was reported that McKay was taken to hospital at Bridgewater with a broken arm. He landed near a farm and despite
considerable loss of blood walked about a half a mile to a farmhouse.
Another airmen landed at Western Head, a short distance from a beach, two came down on the outskirts of Liverpool, and the other at Beech
Hill. The R.C.A.F. statement said they were "forced to abandon" their craft.
Men Started To Leap
It was believed in Liverpool that the plane, out on night maneuvers, got off its course and ran out of
gas about four a.m., forcing the men to jump. The plane was said to have taken off from Pennfield Ridge, N.B.
Liverpool residents, attracted by the roar overhead and falling flares, recognized the plight of the plane and tried to reach Summerville
Beach, about 15 miles away, in time to set up flares for a makeshift landing field. The men had started to leap, however before the reached
the beach.
Two of the airmen started a bonfire to guide rescue planes which were already roaming the darkened skies. One of the aircraft signaled that it
had sighted the fire - then it itself crashed.
Two of the bodies were thrown out before the plane went up in flames. At Saint John, the second plane was said to have taken off from
Pennfield Ridge, base of the one which it sought.
Planes from that station, Halifax and Yarmouth were reported to have joined in the search after the first bomber's radio blacked out.
SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa, ON) - August 25, 1941.
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